This is set to change if the rally gets approval from the World championship organisers, who have just been observing the locally organised Safari rally. Kenyan organisers are optimistic that they have been able to convince the world that the rally will meet the high standards set by the world body.
The Safari rally started in the late 1950s as a commemoration of queen Elizabeth's coronation. Initially its name was the coronation rally. After Kenya became an independent state in 1963, the rally changed its name to the East African Safari. Competitors covered the three East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
That changed in 1977 with the collapse of the East African community. The rally became a Kenyan affair. With massive international participation and sponsorship, the rally was arguably the most popular world championship event outside Europe, and by far the most challenging. Drivers took it up more like an adventurous outing. Rallying in the bush literary, with herds of wildlife competing for the roads with the rally cars was fun!
But it was not just the drivers who loved the Safari. In the late 1980s, BBC withdrew their coverage of the Safari apparently because it was sponsored by Marlboro, a cigarette manufacturer. However, on doing an opinion poll about the move, it became clear that the move was against the wishes of most Britons. The had to reinstate their coverage.
Another group of stakeholders who held the Safari in high esteem were the motor vehicle manufacturers. The felt that if any vehicle conquered Africa, then it could conquer anywhere else in the world. Non of the manufacturers thus wanted to miss out on the Safari. The safari therefore became a must attend event for all stakeholders.
Insensitive behavior and bad politics in the late 1990s strained the relations between Kenyan organisers and the world rally championship organisers. This led to the suspension of the Safari from the world championship series. Concerted effort to return the rally to the world series are yet to bear any fruit.
In the just concluded locally organised KCB Safari rally, the world championship scouts were said to be monitoring the organisation with a view of sending their recommendations to the world body. This raised some hope that the Safari will regain its former glamour. It also mean that the opportunists who have been standing on the side hoping that the Safari will be transfered to their countries will have their hopes dashed.
South Africa has been for a long time rumoured to have an interest in the world championship event transferred there. Egypt, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have also had an interest, though the later have a collapsed economy to sort out first. The interest is not in vain.
The country that eventually gets the nod from the world championship organisers stands to gain in a big way. Apart from the direct benefits that come as a result of the cash injection from drivers and clues during the rally, the host country receives massive publicity during the period of the rally.
In a world where all major events are beamed worldwide on live TV, the coverage ends up becoming much worthwhile in later days. It is an opportunity to market the country as a tourist destination, renewable every year, with the effect almost guaranteed. The thrill of rally cars competing with wildlife for trucks in remote parts of Africa, makes everyone want to share the experience at one time in life.
The Safari rally started in the late 1950s as a commemoration of queen Elizabeth's coronation. Initially its name was the coronation rally. After Kenya became an independent state in 1963, the rally changed its name to the East African Safari. Competitors covered the three East African countries Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
That changed in 1977 with the collapse of the East African community. The rally became a Kenyan affair. With massive international participation and sponsorship, the rally was arguably the most popular world championship event outside Europe, and by far the most challenging. Drivers took it up more like an adventurous outing. Rallying in the bush literary, with herds of wildlife competing for the roads with the rally cars was fun!
But it was not just the drivers who loved the Safari. In the late 1980s, BBC withdrew their coverage of the Safari apparently because it was sponsored by Marlboro, a cigarette manufacturer. However, on doing an opinion poll about the move, it became clear that the move was against the wishes of most Britons. The had to reinstate their coverage.
Another group of stakeholders who held the Safari in high esteem were the motor vehicle manufacturers. The felt that if any vehicle conquered Africa, then it could conquer anywhere else in the world. Non of the manufacturers thus wanted to miss out on the Safari. The safari therefore became a must attend event for all stakeholders.
Insensitive behavior and bad politics in the late 1990s strained the relations between Kenyan organisers and the world rally championship organisers. This led to the suspension of the Safari from the world championship series. Concerted effort to return the rally to the world series are yet to bear any fruit.
In the just concluded locally organised KCB Safari rally, the world championship scouts were said to be monitoring the organisation with a view of sending their recommendations to the world body. This raised some hope that the Safari will regain its former glamour. It also mean that the opportunists who have been standing on the side hoping that the Safari will be transfered to their countries will have their hopes dashed.
South Africa has been for a long time rumoured to have an interest in the world championship event transferred there. Egypt, Tanzania and Zimbabwe have also had an interest, though the later have a collapsed economy to sort out first. The interest is not in vain.
The country that eventually gets the nod from the world championship organisers stands to gain in a big way. Apart from the direct benefits that come as a result of the cash injection from drivers and clues during the rally, the host country receives massive publicity during the period of the rally.
In a world where all major events are beamed worldwide on live TV, the coverage ends up becoming much worthwhile in later days. It is an opportunity to market the country as a tourist destination, renewable every year, with the effect almost guaranteed. The thrill of rally cars competing with wildlife for trucks in remote parts of Africa, makes everyone want to share the experience at one time in life.